“Finally Found One”
My family has stayed on both sides of the beach fishing pier. Weirdly, the pier is about a twenty-minute walk from both sides.
I know because I walked toward the pier hunting for shark teeth from both sides. I also look from my beach chair under an umbrella in the sand for a shark fin to crop up. It’s the last beach vacation day, and neither has presented itself to me. Please happen today.
These teenagers have been running into the colonies of seagulls with their arms up like a bear to frighten them into the air. I know they’re young, but this is annoying, intimidating behavior to watch. I smirk now because one of the teenagers just got a well-deserved crapping on.
Oh, look, there’s a shark’s tooth.
“Ghost Runner George”
I became Ghost George forty years ago after lightning struck a tree and a burning limb fell on me during my senior year of college. Life was good back then: I was a track star, made the dean’s list, and started dating Emmie. But what I really miss from life is running.
Spring is still my favorite time because of the high school track season. That’s why I’m here at Trinity. I’m about to possess Howard Barlow’s body, the school’s quickest 800-meter runner. The possession shouldn’t last two minutes. His fastest time will be enough to get my runner’s high.
“Lou Reads Two Haikus At The Earl Grey Wolf Coffee Shop Open Mic Night”
“Thank you. My name is Lou, and I’ve prepared two haikus. One rhymes, and the other doesn’t.” Lou coughs. He opens a padfolio and reads the first poem into the microphone.
“The end of the week
my heart, body, and soul seek
rest, gravy, and meat.”
Lou jokes with the crowd that that was the haiku that rhymed. After a few laughs, he reads the second poem.
“My waistline was fried
cause my body was battered
the southern state diet.”
A person in the back stands up and begins to applaud after Lou finishes reading his second poem. He awkwardly thanks everyone at the Earl Grey Wolf. He then leaves the stage with his mom, who was the person clapping in the back.
Everyone he thanked thought the whole thing was weird.
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